Birth of an Heir
by Orlissa
Summary: Zutara Week 2011 day 7: Caught. The Fire Nation has a whole lot of traditions considering the birth of an heir. But it's a completely different question if the Fire Lord and Lady want to keep to these traditions…


**Summary**: The Fire Nation has a whole lot of traditions considering the birth of an heir. But it's a completely different question if the Fire Lord and Lady want to keep to these traditions…

**Rating:** K+

**Word Count:** 3267

**Disclaimer**: [Insert funny text here that tells you that I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender]

**Birth of an Heir**

He just couldn't fall asleep.

He was tossing and turning, and the blankets felt too heavy and hot, but when he threw them off it was too cold in the room. He also found the night too silent, but when the spider-crickets started their nightly singing he found that unbearable as well.

Of course, deep down, he knew what the problem was – Katara. Or more like her absence. In the last nearly two years since they had been married, he had gotten so accustomed to having her beside him during the night, encircling her with his arms, holding her close, feeling her heartbeat… now, missing these thing made his – their - own to bed too foreign to be comfortable.

With a frustrated grunt he rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling of the bed. Don't get him wrong, he understood the situation perfectly and even agreed on its necessity. It was an old custom in the Fire Nation, practiced for centuries, and practiced for a good reason. But it didn't mean that he had to like it.

That night his wife was sleeping in another room because she had given birth that day – and so, as it was in custom in his country, she wouldn't be spending the night with him for three days. It was done this way to give the new mother time rest, undisturbed, relaxed rest. Without a husband bothering her – but nobody cared if this situation bothered the said husband.

Despite himself, he smiled at the thought. They had a daughter. The Fire Nation had an heir. He chuckled to himself, recalling the council members' faces when they were first told that Katara was excepting. Old, spiteful old men, all of them, who were just waiting for the reason to annul their marriage – they had never liked the idea of a foreigner Fire Lady. And in their eyes the lack of an heir was a perfect reason to do end the said marriage. So, when after nearly a year into their marriage Katara was still showing no sings of pregnancy, they started stating in loud voices that see, fire and water don't work together after all. They are not compatible, and so unable to create anything together. And since he will most definitely need an heir – since he was the last member in the whole dynasty who were trusted enough to have children (they had enough sense not to force Azula's mental instability to any child) -, he'll have to dismiss his Water Tribe "mistress", and find a good, loyal, Fire Nation girl to fill her position by his side.

The only thing the council didn't know that all the time Katara was taking contraceptive herbs. It was his mother's idea, which she had presented not long before their wedding. She reasoned with saying that they were young, so young – Katara was only sixteen that time -, and so they could use some time to devote to themselves, without worrying about another life. And Katara even kept taking the herbs until they got the word of her brother's impending fatherhood. He and Suki had married about eight months after they did, and started a family immediately. They had gone to visit them on Kyoshi Island less than a year ago, where, after a hushed conversation with Suki, whose belly was already swelling a little, Katara announced that she wanted to have children – the sooner the better. He wasn't so surprised, after all, the people from the Water Tribes had always had a strong sense of community and family.

So, when they got back to the Fire Nation Katara stopped taking her herbs. And she was pregnant within three months. Saying that the members of his council were surprised – and a little disappointed – was an understatement.

Her pregnancy was smooth and free of complications – again, there were fears in the royal palace for her and her child's well being, but they were pointless. And that day, only an hour or two after midday, their first child was born. And, despite his fears, his anxiety, his everything, he was over the Moon. Really, all he wanted to do was to sit on the edge of Katara's bed, and admire his family – only, of course, he didn't get much chance to do so.

The Fire Nation had a strict culture, with even stricter traditions. And, naturally, the birth of an heir meant even stricter rituals. First, he wasn't allowed into the birthing room. In stead, he was deemed to stay in the neighboring room with his mother and uncle, several very important – and annoying - ministers and advisors, and two scribes – just to have the event recorded. And he was expected to be calm, keep his regal posture, and not to walk back and forth, from the door leading to Katara to his mother like a madman. Then, when the babe was finally born, and the maids cleaned her, she was instantly taken to him. He was the first one to hold her after the midwife, even before his wife, because it was a tradition, in the hierarchy, he was higher, he was more important. It didn't matter that the whole ordeal was done completely differently in the South Pole – Katara's homeland -, where the newborn wasn't even taken away from the mother until after the first nursing, and where the first thing after birth was to give the baby to the new mother – which, by the way, made much more sense to Zuko. No, it was the Fire Nation, and so they did everything in the Fire Nation way.

So, at first, his daughter was handed to him – he didn't even want to hold her first, to be honest. He had never held a baby before, and he was just so afraid to hurt her. Then, when the maid left, came the – mostly meaningless – congratulations. The ministers and advisors bowed to the new princess, wishing her long and successful life and luck the whole royal family. But whatever they did, only his mother's and his uncle's pure admiration for their first grandchild – it isn't an exaggeration to say that she was Iroh's true granddaughter - seemed genuine in the whole room. After twenty minutes worth glorifying, a young maid appeared, announcing that he could now go into room to see his wife.

Katara was visibly tired, but she was glowing with happiness. She all but snatched their daughter from him, finally taking the little girl into her arms. She had complained a lot about the strict rituals of the Fire Nation before, but then, she said nothing. There weren't many words said at all – they were not needed. They didn't even talk about the child's name – for one, because it was already decided, and, for two, because saying the name out loud, before the child got the fire sages' blessing, before she was ceremoniously named, meant bad luck.

But, of course, their time together was cut short. Only after what felt like a minute, the midwife reappeared, stating that it was time to feed the child – so, it was time for Zuko to leave. He had still much to do, anyway.

Firstly, he had to speak with the fire sages about his daughter's naming ceremony. The task itself was quite easy, but the stiff, ceremonious way the sages greeted and treated him made the whole ordeal take much more time. They finally agreed upon a date three days later – frankly, it was custom to held the ceremony when the newborn was three days old – after they checked the calendar profoundly – though Zuko didn't understand way was it needed. After that, he had to write a smaller mountain of letters – informal ones to friends and family, and formal ones to the rulers of the other nations and other very important people, informing them about the heir's birth, and inviting them to the palace for her coronation, which was going to be held in a month. Then he was excepted to be in one of the palace more ornate sitting rooms, where his admirals and generals were waiting for him, meaning to celebrate his firstborn's birth.

The celebration lasted quite long, and it involved toasting, drinking, well wishes, and hopeful proclamations that his second child would be a son. And by the time it ended – by the time his men were trashed enough -, and he was free to go finally to see his wife, he was ushered away, saying that both she and the baby were already asleep.

All he could do was curse at the stupid Fire Nation customs under his breath, and retreat to his chambers for a good night's sleep. Which brings us to his current situation.

Sighing audibly, Zuko gave up trying to fell asleep. It was pointless, anyway. Throwing off the covers, he got up and slipped on his robe. If he could not sleep, he could at least see his daughter, he decided. All right, he wouldn't disturb Katara, he knew she really needed her rest, but it didn't mean that he could pay a visit to his daughter. She was placed a room away from her mother, looked after by a wet nurse. He wouldn't wake her, if he could help it, only take a look at her, and then maybe he could calm down enough to fall asleep. It was late at night – surely past midnight, and so the whole palace was asleep. There would be no-one to tell him no to do this. And even if there was, he was the Fire Lord, damn it. No-one should disobey him, or tell him what to do.

He left his chambers, walking soundlessly on the corridors. The night was, in fact, quite pleasant. It was mid-spring, which in the Fire Nation meant calm, long rains, and pleasant – not scorching hot, but not cool either – temperature. The night was silent and dry, though it rained earlier, what left the grass in the royal gardens wet and the ground muddy.

Zuko reached his daughter's temporary room in no time. Katara and he had decided – or, more precisely, Katara had decided, and he hadn't dared to argue with her about it – that for the first few months a bassinet would be placed in their bedroom for the child, then the room next to theirs would be converted into a nursery. She couldn't bear the thought of her child living in the opposite end of the palace.

He opened the door without knocking. He secretly hoped that the nurse looking after his daughter was asleep, so he could make this little visit without any unnecessary questions and bowing. He used all his stealth he attained in his life to be as silent as possible, as he stepped into the room, but he almost instantly stopped.

The room was completely empty. The nurse was no-where in sight.

Panic raised in his chest. She should have been there, no matter what, she was supposed to be watching the baby, never leaving her side. He strode over to the crib frantically, and found it empty. His daughter was gone.

He tried to stay calm. Loosing his mind wouldn't help a thing. He walked over to the windows – if someone came in to kidnap his daughter, then he came from there, but he saw no sings of intruding there. Actually, looking around the room, he saw nothing out of order. There were no telltale sings of struggle, no blood, no torn curtains… and even if there was a struggle, it would have made some sounds, which would have been heard by the guards…

He was missing something.

Then a though struck into his head. Well, it could be… it seemed like a logical explanation.

Just as soundlessly as he came, he left the room, only to enter its neighbor. He opened the door carefully, lighting a little flame in his left hand to give a little help to the Moon's silvery light, then stepped into the room – and calmed down immediately. His suspicion turned out to be true.

There, in the middle of the room, in the enormous bed, lay Katara. She was resting on her side, facing the door, knees a little bent, and arm under her head, her face peaceful in her sleep. And, lying there next to Katara's stomach, like she was still inside her womb, was their daughter.

Of course, he thought. He should have guessed – Katara told him about the Water Tribe customs. Down South it was crucial in the deadly cold to keep the newborns warm, and what would have been a better way to do so than by using body heat? So the midwives in the Tribe laid the babes next their mothers. He was naïve to think that Katara wouldn't follow this tradition, even if she was in the ever so strict Fire Nation.

With a relieved sigh, he was about to leave the room and let his little family sleep, when Katara suddenly spoke up.

"Will you come here, or will just stand there all night?" Her voice was clear, but her eyes remained closed. A little half-smile found its way to Zuko's face.

"I thought you were asleep. I didn't want to disturb you." He almost whispered, as he walked up to the bed.

"Well, I was. But I am not anymore."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I just wanted to make sure that you were all right." Zuko said as he climbed into bed, positioning himself behind Katara. Draping one arm over her waist, he touched the face of the sleeping child.

"Oh, it wasn't you, but your daughter. She demanded to be fed about twenty minutes ago." She placed her hand over Zuko's. "But thank La, she's a good sleeper. A soon as she was done, she fell asleep." She gave a sound what Zuko couldn't place. "When we were travelling to Ba Sing Se, we accompanied a young couple for a few days, and the woman gave birth during the journey. She had a little girl, too; they named her Hope. Now, she wasn't a good sleeper." She chuckled. "She would cry for the better part of the night."

Zuko didn't answer for a few moments, only caressed the baby's face with a lone finger, as if he was afraid to break her.

"You know that you have scared me half to death, right?" He said finally. "I wanted to have a look at her, and what did I find? An empty crib, the nurse no-where to be seen. Thank you very much, Katara." He wanted to scold her, but didn't really succeed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I just wanted to have her close to me, and I didn't see a point in having the nurse close-by, to I sent her to sleep. But you can't really blame me, can you?" She spoke softly, looking back over her should to see his face. "Your traditions are rather stupid, if you ask me."

"You are telling me? I grew up living by these traditions."

"Poor you." Katara laid her head back on the pillow. "But they are still crazy. I had to wait until the other servants who were paddling around her and me went to sleep before I could bring my own daughter here. They wouldn't let me."

"So you had to break the age-old Fire Nation traditions and sneak around."

"I did not sneak around – al right, maybe a little. But I am a proud Water Tribe woman, no matter where I live, so I'll do as I would do in the South Pole" When he didn't reacted to this, she continued. "Anyway, you are the one to talk, oh, almighty Fire Lord? Shouldn't you stand as an example for your people, and stick to the customs? As in, shouldn't you be in our chamber, away from me?" he could hear the smile in her voice.

"I have every right to see my daughter, whenever I want. It's your fault that she is here, not in her crib… if you hadn't taken her to here, no-one would have ever learned that I went to see her." Zuko didn't have a better idea to answer her teasing than putting the blame on her. "And anyway, no-one saw me coming here. So, technically, the only one who broke the traditions is you"

"Okay, I will take the blame, but only for now. I am too tired to fight with you over it" She said, but it was easy to see that she held no grudge towards her husband. In fact, she rather enjoyed the situation. She closed her eyes, and was about to fall asleep again, but them Zuko spoke.

"She is so beautiful. Have I told you that?" His voice was full of awe.

"I think so. But it doesn't hurt to hear it again." She answered, her voice a little sleepy. "She looks just like you, you know?"

"How can you tell that already? She's only a few hours old." To him, she didn't really look too different than the handful newborns he had seen so far, and he was unable to see his own features on her tiny face.

"Let's just say I am looking at her with a mother's eyes. She has you nose and chin, that's for sure. And I can only hope that she didn't inherit your temper as well."

"I hope she has your eyes." Zuko said absent-mindedly, as if he didn't even hear Katara's last sentence. His wife only smiled at this.

"We'll see. They're blue now, but it's too early to tell if they'll remain blue or change their colors." She yawned. "But now I'd really like to go to sleep, if it's not a problem. It has been a long day. So, you maybe should go back to your room. You know, we can't have the people think that their Lord doesn't play by the traditions."

Zuko considered this for a few moments, then answered.

"I'd rather stay here, if it's okay by you. I couldn't sleep without you there." He confessed. Katara chuckled.

"Wouldn't that be a violent act against the sacred Fire Nation customs? What will the council say when you are found here, next to me, tomorrow morning?"

"Well, I'll tell them that, besides being the Fire Lord, I am also the husband of a proud Water Tribe woman, who has every right to practice the costumes of her homeland. I only happened to help her in it." He spoke with mocked seriousness.

"You are really sly, aren't you?"

"Yes, but you love me for it."

Next morning, when the midwife came to check on the new mother to see if she was alright, she found all three members of the royal family asleep in the enormous bed – the Fire Lord the furthest from her, on his side, an arm draped over the Lady's waist, his fingers barely touching the small princess, who lay next to her mother's stomach.

She knew that as a loyal Fire Nation citizen she should have been disturbed to catch them breaking the traditions this way, but she didn't have the heart to. After all, they looked so peaceful, so lovely, so… family-like. She was the one who had helped to the world both the current Fire Lord and his ill-fated sister, she was around for their infancy, but she had never seen the members of the royalty act like this. And in a way, it felt right.

After all, it really was the beginning of a new era.

**A/N: I am clever, am I not? :P I avoided naming the little princess :P Anyone wants to give her a name? :P**


End file.
